Easy-open envelope



Jim- 10, 1967 D. T. RoBBlNs EASY-OPEN ENVELOPE Filed Oct. 19, 1964 w il if Figi INVENTOR. DANIEL T. ROBBINS jenn & 164410K/ 88 23 m.. .En 4 38g 2 2l3 .IIB 33 JFS V hm 4 /mw l] 8|. 2 2 PH lll f nu f l 5 5 51h! `I r 8 4 h 2M- 2 United States Patent O 3,297,235 EASY-OPEN ENVELOPE Daniel T. Robbins, Sun Valley, Calif., assignorto JFTJ Corporation, Beverly Hills, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Oct. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 404,722 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-85) The present invention relates generally to an easyopen envelope and more particularly to such an envelope in which the danger of inadvertent opening minimized.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved easy-opening envelope having a tear-out section arranged to give maximum opening to the end of the envelope.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved easy-opening envelope which will give maximum firmness to insure proper functioning of the tearout section.

Itis a still further object of this ,invention to provide an improved easy-opening envelope having a tear-out section with a tab positioned so that it is protected by the convergent triangular segments on the back panel of the envelope.

Finally, it is an object to provide an envelope of the aforementioned character which is simple and convenient to use and which will give generally eflicient and durable service.

With these and -other objects definitely in View, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, :as will be hereinafter -fully described .in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claim, and illustrated in the drawing which forms a material part of this disclosure, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view showing the back panel of the improved envelope;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1 illustrating the iirst step in opening the envelope;

FIGURE 3 is a View showing the envelope in opened position;

FIGURE 4 is a view showing a modification of the invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of FIGURE 4.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 I have illustrated a mailing envelope incorporating one form of the invention. As is usual in the construction of these envelopes, a front panel is provided which is of generally rectangular form and may be solid or provided with a window opening, not shown. The back panel is formed of four triangular segments folded back from the edges of the front panel. These are designated as end segments 12, 16 and include .a flap 18 and an opposing bottom segment 14. The edges and 17 of the segment 14 overlap adjacent edges of segments 12 and 18 and are adhesively secured along these overlapping edges. The edge portion of the iiap 18 is provided with an adhesive but is normally unsecured until after the desired material has been inserted into the envelope.

To the extent described aboved, the envelope is of generally conventional form. To provide an easy tearout section for ready access to the contents of the envelope, I form a slit 20 adjacent the apex of triangular segment 12. This slit is generally semicircular in shape and formes a tab 22 which may be readily bent out from the plane of the envelope. From the ends of the slit 20 weakened linear areas 24, 24 extend to opposite corners of the envelope. These Iweakened areas follow closely the edge of the ap 18 on one side and the edge of the segment 14 on the other side, as clearly shown in FIGURE 1. The location of the weakened areas ice -as shown is a particular novel aspect of my invention. It should be noted that the weakened areas are closely adjacent the marginal area along which the bottom .seglment 14 is sealed to the segment 12 and the marginal area along which the ap 18 is sealed, in use, to the segment 12, which are linear areas of maximum firmness of the envelope. There is, therefore, little danger of accidental tearing of the sealed envelope along the lines of the weakened areas thus reinforced by proximal, parallel arrangement with respect to :said areas of maximum firmness. While I have shown the weakened lareas as being formed by perforating the material, it is to be understood that other well-known means of producing the desired weakened areas may be used.

In FIGURE 2 I have shown the envelope bent transversely at the tab 22 so that this tab will be elevated and can be readily grasped to tear out the single layer section 26, as indicated in FIGURE 3. It will lbe apparent that this section can be readily torn out completely to the corners of the envelope thus facilitating removal of the contents thereof.

In FIGURES 4 and 5 I have shown a modification which is concerned primarily with a change in position of the linear weakened area. The general shape and construction of the envelope is essentially the same as that shown in FIGURE 1 but the weakened areas 28 are positioned underneath the edge 15 of segment 14 and flap 18 as more clearly shown in FIGURE 5. These weakened areas are so located that they do not interfere with the actual adhesive 36. As shown in FIGURE 4, the weakened areas 28 terminate at their outer ends at points 31 adjacent to but spaced from the edge 313 of the envelope. From points 31 a slit 32 is out to the edges 34 of the segment 12. These slits extend transversely of the segment 12 or generally parallel to the edge 33. These slits 32 are positioned remote from any adhesive area on the envelope and it will facilitate the nal stage of the complete separation of the modiiied tear-out, section 38 from the corresponding folded in portion of the envelope, that is, the segment 12. Operation Iof the tear-out section 38 is otherwise the same as that described above ,in relation to FIGURES 1 to 3.

It is understood that minor variations from the form of the invention .disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawing are to be considered as :merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

An easy-opening envelope having :a generally rectangular front panel and a back panel formed of generally triangular segments including two end segments, a flap and an opposing bottom seg-ment folded from the edges of said rectangular 4front panel, adjacent segments overlapping and secured by marginal adhesive areas;

one of said end segments having a slit forming a foldout tab and linear weakened areas extending from each of the slit toward an end edge of the envelope and terminating adjacent to but spaced from said end edge, thus defining two edges of a single layer tear-out section extending from each of said slit divengently toward said end edge of the envelope, said slit and tab being in the apex of an angle defined by adjacent portions of said ap and said opposing bottom segment, and said tab 'being thus protected against inadvertent dislocation by said adjacent portions;

'and a transverse slit in said one segment from the outer end of each linear weakened area to the adjacent edge of said one segment, whereby the final stage of the separation of the tear-out section from said yone segment is facilitated.

(References 'on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Smith 229-85 Godley 229-85 Mendenhall 229-85 X Stocks 229-85 Heywood 229-85 4 FOREIGN PATENTS 319,677 7/1934 Italy.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Examiner.

D. M. BOCKENEK, Assistant Examiner. 

